I believe every programmer must learn about a core programming language and a scripting language. Seriously I've no hand in any languages like Python, JavaScript, JScript, CScript etc. I'm native Windows Developer and which scripting language would be the best one to do some automation/web related stuffs.

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I believe you're asking for a good scripting language to startup with?
– NipunaFeb 1 '11 at 11:56

Why not Pearl? ;) No seriously: Start with Python or Pearl and when you are comfortable with one, you can at least read or do some basic stuff with the other one. Is someone else already using a scripting language at your current company? Might ease the learning and give you some real projects.
– ChristianFeb 1 '11 at 12:31

1

Please expand your answer. Why is Python a good language to start with? What about it would be hare to learn as a first language?
– WalterFeb 1 '11 at 13:02

1

@Christian: I assumed you meant Perl, although I was surprised to find there is a PEARL programming language.
– Jaime SotoFeb 1 '11 at 13:26

For web stuff, JavaScript is extremely useful. It complements any server-side programming you are doing in other languages and it gives you a taste of scripting that is pretty easy to learn and can be tested right there in the browser.

For windows automation I use Powershell a lot. It doesn't feel much like a real language ( maybe Perl, a touch ) and you wouldn't use it to write applications, but it really is very handy for automating things in Windows that you need to automate, and as it can reach into .net it can actually do a lot of clever things with your system- more than you might expect.

If you want to learn something for fun then maybe start with Ruby. It's flexible, expressive and powerful but mostly it is an absolute pleasure to program with.

Thanks... I've heard of Ruby connected to Web. but never tried it before. Also you perfectly answered my question. I also want to learn something not really depends on a single platform. In that sense Ruby and Python make sense.
– user15220Feb 2 '11 at 4:07